Deerfield — Biographical Notices Of The Settlers Previous To Philip's War
Extracted from "History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, Volume II," by Louis H. Everts, 1879.
Samuel Herrenton (Harrington) settled in 1673. Antecedents unknown. In the attack on the town, Sept. 12, 1675, he was wounded in the neck. He married, 1677, Hannah, widow of Nathaniel Sutlieff, of Hatfield, 1679. Not traced later.
Hinsdale Roberts, probably born in England about 1617. A member of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company, 1645. He was one of the eight founders of the church at Dedham in 1638, and one of the founders of the church in Medfield in 1650. He removed to Hadley in 1672, and was here the next year with five stalwart sons and one married daughter. He married a second wife about 1672,—Elizabeth, widow of John Hawks, of Hadley,—who outlived him. He, with three of his sons, fell at Bloody Brook with Lothrop.
Samuel Hinsdale, the son of Robert, removed to Hadley as early as 1666. He early acquired a large interest in the 8000-acre grant, and owned, May, 23, 1670, one-twelfth of the entire property. He was the first settler at Pocomptuck, having "made improvements" there before May 18, 1669, and built a house before May, 1670. He was one of the committee appointed by the General Court, in 1673, to regulate the affairs of the plantation, and was the leading man of the settlers. He married, in 1660, Mehitable Johnson; their son Mehuman was the first white man born at Pocomptuck. He was killed at Bloody Brook, leaving six or seven children. From Mehuman are descended most of the name in the Connecticut Valley. He drew three house-lots, but probably occupied No. 14, now the William Russell lot.
Barnabas Hinsdale, son of Robert, born 1639. He had a farm in Hatfield, where he married, in 1666, Sarah Taylor. He probably located on house-lot No. 9, which was drawn by his brother Samuel, and owned by Barnabas, Jr., in 1686. This is the Ralph Williams lot. He was killed with Lothrop, leaving two sons and three daughters.
Experience Hinsdale, son of Robert, born 1646. He married, at Hatfield, 1672, Mary Hawks, and at once brought his bride here. He was a guide for Capt. Turner in his march to the Falls fight, May 18, 1676, and was lost in that expedition, leaving a widow and two daughters.
John Hinsdale, son of Robert, born 1648; was here 1673. He was killed at Bloody Brook, leaving a family, of which nothing has been discovered.
Ephraim Hinsdale, son of Robert, born 1650; was here 1673. He survived Philip's war, and retired to Hatfield, where he married Mehitable, daughter of John Plympton, in 1678, and where he died, in 1681.
John Plympton, sergeant, of Dedham, 1642; came here from Medfield, safely escaping the dangers of Philip's war. He had come back to rebuild his house, when he was taken captive, Sept. 19, 1677, by a party of Indians from Canada, and by them barbarously tortured and burned to death at the stake. He was called "Old Sergt. Plympton," and he was doubtless born in England. He married Jane Dummer, by whom he had thirteen children. His son John was a soldier under Capt. Mosely, in 1675.
Peter Plympton, son of John, born 1652; was a soldier under Capt. Mosely, in 1675; came back after the war, and lived on the lot owned by his father, which he sold, in 1705, to John Wells. It was subsequently owned by the Catlins, and is the lot occupied by the heirs of Joel Wells. He removed to Marlboro' about 1705, where he died in 1717.
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